Border-inspection data released on 3 February show that Beijing’s airports handled 560,000 foreign passenger movements in January, a 44.5 percent increase over the same month last year. Foreign nationals accounted for nearly one-third of the 1.77 million total entries and exits processed by Beijing General Station of Immigration Inspection.
Officials attribute the spike to China’s expanding visa-free policies and the imminent Spring Festival holiday, which begins on 17 February. More than 184,000 travellers—one in every three foreigners entering the capital—took advantage of either the 30-day visa waiver offered to 45 countries or the 10-day, 240-hour transit-without-visa scheme that now covers 60 ports nationwide.
![Beijing Ports Record 44 Percent Surge in Foreign Arrivals in January]()
To help both individual travellers and corporate mobility teams stay on top of these evolving entry options, VisaHQ provides real-time visa guidance, document processing, and eligibility checks for trips to China through its easy-to-use portal at https://www.visahq.com/china/ Using the service can streamline preparation and ensure visitors make full use of Beijing’s expanding visa-free programmes.
Airlines have responded by up-gauging aircraft and adding frequencies on key North American and European routes, while Beijing Capital International Airport reopened Terminal 2’s automated e-gate corridor for passport holders from 26 countries. Hoteliers report occupancy for the February mid-month peak already above 80 percent, driven by diaspora visitors and business travellers combining factory tours with holiday breaks.
The numbers underscore the importance of monitoring slot availability and immigration processing times. Mobility teams sending employees to Beijing in the next two weeks are advised to allow extra lead-time for flight bookings and to pre-register for facial-recognition e-gates where eligible.
Officials attribute the spike to China’s expanding visa-free policies and the imminent Spring Festival holiday, which begins on 17 February. More than 184,000 travellers—one in every three foreigners entering the capital—took advantage of either the 30-day visa waiver offered to 45 countries or the 10-day, 240-hour transit-without-visa scheme that now covers 60 ports nationwide.
To help both individual travellers and corporate mobility teams stay on top of these evolving entry options, VisaHQ provides real-time visa guidance, document processing, and eligibility checks for trips to China through its easy-to-use portal at https://www.visahq.com/china/ Using the service can streamline preparation and ensure visitors make full use of Beijing’s expanding visa-free programmes.
Airlines have responded by up-gauging aircraft and adding frequencies on key North American and European routes, while Beijing Capital International Airport reopened Terminal 2’s automated e-gate corridor for passport holders from 26 countries. Hoteliers report occupancy for the February mid-month peak already above 80 percent, driven by diaspora visitors and business travellers combining factory tours with holiday breaks.
The numbers underscore the importance of monitoring slot availability and immigration processing times. Mobility teams sending employees to Beijing in the next two weeks are advised to allow extra lead-time for flight bookings and to pre-register for facial-recognition e-gates where eligible.
